Where I would have been...

We were going to leave for Mount Hood today. It was going to be our first long motorcycle trip since I don't know when... We did do a 3,000 mi trip in 10 days before; up thru Idaho and over to the top of Washington and thru the Northern Cascades, and to the coast. We followed the coast down, enjoying delightful fish and chips, clam chowder, and Moose Drool beer, all the way to the Redwoods in California. Then we went back North into Oregon to Crater Lake. And finally across the state and back home. I was a few years younger then…

But nonetheless, I was so looking forward to the ride to Mount Hood this weekend. We’d planned on going thru the adorable quilt-lovin town of Sisters, Oregon, and meander our way up to Hood. Once there we’d planned on staying at a condo at Government Camp as our base station and going on rides to waterfalls and other volcanoes and the Oregon Coast.

Maybe next year… I’m sure Annie will be up for the ride then…



Instead... My hubby and I are going to stay local... and go to... where we met...

Angelo's... An authentic Biker Bar in Ogden, Utah... for a beer.

Annie Update

Annie is tired of lying around, but too tired to do much about it. She has been easy to keep calm. Here she is with her favorite toy sent to her when she was younger by her Auntie Sandy.

Our time schedule from here on out is rest, rest, rest, then in October she goes in for one more injection. In December she gets retested for Heartworm. If the test is negative she can start on Heartgard.

I think by next Spring she will be a healthy rowdy JRT and maybe it’ll be time for a puppy to keep her company… (Don’t tell Jet my cat that!)

Annie's Home!

Sweet Annie is home recuperating.
She will spend a lot of time in her kennel and a lot of time on our laps :)
We will give her med for pain for 15 days, and lots of lovin.
She will live this lifestyle for 6 weeks, then a gradual rehab to rebuild her heart and lungs.
Thank you to all for your caring hearts.

Bug Grubber

Bug Grubber is one of Annie's nick-names. She gets it from chasing and eating butterflies, grasshoppers, spiders... etc, anything that moves she chases, and if it's edible... she does that too.

It's taken a toll on her though. That and some nasty mosquito. Annie has tested positive for heartworm disease (from a mosquito bite), and possibly for other parasites (from eating so many bugs). Not to mention low thyroid levels.

The reason I'm posting this isn't for sympathy, but to help any dog owner to be a little more aware of heartworm than I was. I thought it was very rare in Utah if at all since we get such a good winter kill - freezing cold temps... I was wrong and I should of had Annie protected with a product called "Heartgard" which you give the dog once a month.

We are going to proceed with a treatment for heartworm this coming week. It involves injections into the lower back muscles and can be quite painful. Recovery for Annie will involve 6 weeks of being kenneled (at home) to minimize embolism risks and lung problems, and taken outside on a leash only. No running, jumping, playing... (We're talking a Jack Russell Terrier here!)

So... Prayers for Annie please, and if you have a dog, please ask your vet about Heartgard.

Me and MiAmi (My Annie)

Do all dogs have a million nick-names?

MiAmi

Orphan Annie

Annie Bananni

Bug Grubber

Curly

...

she comes to them all...

...with a wag of the tail

and a smile...

...behind black lips

Penny Rug

Here is the finished penny rug piece.

It is 7" diameter.

I stamped the outer row of circles with

"Let Love Abound".

Sneak Peek...

DAY 5

Yummmm....

PLUM CRAZY

HOW TO MAKE PLUM LIQUEUR

Wash plums

Cut in half and seed. Put in quart jar. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 cup dark rum.

Gently shake the jar every day for 15 days
to help the sugar dissolve.

Remove fruit pulp and skin after 16 days.

Enjoy !!!

* * *

This is my first attempt. Sounds yummy to me. The plums I used are very ripe and sweet, so I didn't use very much sugar. If you used tart plums you would want to use more sugar.
I'll let you know how this is in about 16 days!
Liquor or Liqueur?

The Pergola is finished!

We started this Pergola in June, and finally put the last brush of paint on it today.

The plant on this corner is the Wisteria; it is already aggressively reaching the top. There is Clematis on the other corner, and 3 climbing roses on the other side.

Grow grow grow...

Playing with felt

This is all I've come up with lately...
and I'm not sure what to do with it...

Maybe play with scissors...

And then...

Maybe applique onto a bigger piece...

Make a Mandala...

Any ideas?